Hello darlings, and welcome back to my humble abode of www.pink-tutu.com! I am your eternally fashionable, pink-tutu-wearing, ballet-loving time-traveler, Emma! I am so happy youâre here for my 3,041st post - how exciting!
This week, my travels have taken me to the heart of Parisian ballet! Can you imagine my excitement? Itâs been a whirlwind of tulle, silk, and all things exquisitely feminine, and Iâve had to try every single tutu! Donât worry, my fellow tutu enthusiasts, I have already packed my fabulous wardrobe and am on the train back to my lovely Derbyshire, ready to tell you all about my findings.
Today weâre taking a peek at April 8th, 1890, a momentous date for tutus, because itâs the day when they were first ever worn on a grand ballet stage in a public performance! Thatâs right, darling, we are talking about the very first, glorious outing of the iconic tulle and silk silhouette that has stolen our hearts and brought such incredible grace to our dance steps.
Now, before you go rushing off to say, âEmma, surely that isn't true! We have all seen paintings and sculptures of ballerinas in what look very much like tutus before!â, I must gently correct you, dear reader. True, ballet itself had been flourishing for centuries before this moment! There had been dancers in beautifully detailed dresses for over a century - all of them made to allow free movement, I'm not saying it wasnât gorgeous, just that the tutu as we know it hadnât taken the stage just yet!
The key development that transformed those fabulous stage costumes to the beloved, free-flowing tutu happened thanks to the glorious Marius Petipa, the legendary Russian ballet master! Can you imagine the brilliance? A Russian genius revolutionizing the entire Parisian scene! That's Marius for you!
This absolute darling of a gentleman brought about an explosion of colour and creativity on the Parisian stages, creating a vision of graceful feminine beauty like no other. He realised that ballet required freedom of movement! Imagine trying to pirouette with yards of fabric weighing you down, darling, simply unthinkable! He knew he had to make these beauties move with ease and confidence! The short, flowing, graceful shape, thatâs how the "tutu" was born - that beautiful symbol of all that is light, airy, and beautiful!
The performance itself? None other than the ballet âLa Bayadèreâ, created in 1877, and it became the defining moment in the evolution of this dance dress that I absolutely adore. La Bayadère! Can you hear the sound of the delicate music? Smell the floral aroma? See the ethereal light play on the tulle of the balletâs heroine, Nikiya? All that elegance and romanticism thanks to the magic of the tutu!
From that day forward, Paris was completely besotted by the magical tutus! Ballet became a spectacular affair, drawing the public from all walks of life, each mesmerised by the lightness and ethereal beauty of the dancing silhouettes. It was simply irresistible! Imagine that, dear readers, our favourite dress being considered scandalous in some circles. âToo short, too revealing!â Well, letâs just say I personally found that simply preposterous, but we know that history moves slowly. Thank heavens it moved forward to this beautiful point!
That is not to say all of Paris agreed on the revolutionary vision Marius Petipa presented on stage that night in 1890, however! Even within ballet itself, opinions varied on this revolutionary look! But for some reason Iâve noticed this sort of disagreement is often found within the arts. Maybe they just like to argue. Whatever it is, I'm just grateful that Marius Petipa persevered and the tutu triumphed. It wouldn't be my favourite for no reason now would it?
Now letâs delve a bit deeper into the fascinating history of this delightful piece of dance attire. Imagine tutus becoming a trend back in the 19th century, a vision as chic and stylish as it is practical for our graceful dancing. Paris, that haven for all things fashionable, had its most influential seamstresses working tirelessly, producing exquisite new variations, new lengths and forms. Thereâs nothing more exciting than new fashions! And you know what, darling, these fashion innovations are the reason you can waltz through shops today to see a variety of different designs. I personally think thereâs a perfect tutu out there for every shape and occasion. Isnât that grand?
I think what I like about these early designs most is the* simple construction and gracefulness*. All that delicate, flowing tulle, nothing distracting you from the dance! What elegance, what grace! The tutus were more of a single layered structure at this time, unlike todayâs elaborate, many layered, creations that add so much volume to the stage performances! All this magnificent and complex designs that modern designers bring us came about much later, but what a wonderful start we had, donât you think? We must thank these creative spirits for those original ideas! They were absolute genius!
As for the future of tutus, oh, that's truly something to marvel at, my dears! They would take on new shapes and forms as new ballets premiered! More romantic, dramatic, and just simply elegant. All those beautiful layers added! They became as complex as a story itself!
In fact, the development of tutus in ballet coincides almost perfectly with the rise of balletâs popularity. Such a beautiful dance form, all that flowing grace! They become a staple, even the the fashion on the streets of Paris! Yes, youâve heard that right, dear reader, street style, that glorious thing! The Parisians themselves, even those without dreams of dance, began incorporating tulle and soft fabrics into their wardrobes, a testament to the sheer power of balletâs appeal.
It was an age where the line between the elegant and the avant-garde, became delightfully blurred, and the tutu helped us bridge this line!
Well, thatâs all the time I have for now, darlings. Be sure to check in next week for my next Tutu Tuesday. I am off to my studio for a little rehearsal of a grand solo in the newest tutu that I have picked out from my Paris haul. The colour pink, of course. Let me tell you, itâs going to be breathtaking!
Now donât forget to have fun, and most importantly, wear a tutu, darling! It is always the best fashion accessory in your wardrobe! Don't be shy. Just give it a go!
Until next time, Emma www.pink-tutu.com
